Sands China’s Local Supplier Support Program a noteworthy move for Macau SMEs

Jess Ieng (right)

Training and developing local micro, small and medium enterprises has always been an initiative of Sands China, aiming to assist such enterprises in growing their sales and expanding their scope of contribution to the casino operator.

To provide a platform for local SMEs to showcase their products and services to potential users and buyers, the gaming operator has gone the extra mile to support local enterprises.

A local construction and design company, Masterpieces Design, is one of the many local and Made-in-Macau companies the gaming operator has assisted and educated in matters of business.

Jess Ieng, executive director of Masterpieces Design, established the company with a business partner in 2012. The enterprise has three major businesses, namely interior design, construction design, and the supply of construction materials.

Currently, the firm provides interior design services to hotels and apartments, with some of its designers based in Macau, while others reside in mainland China and Malaysia.

Ieng seized the opportunity to establish the firm as there was a demand back then for interior designers and construction supplies, as several residential houses were being built.

Upon entering the market, the company faced several challenges such as a lack of human resources, as according to Ieng, there are few professional designers in Macau. To meet the company’s needs, Ieng was required to import labor.

One of Masterpieces Design’s goals is to continually import more materials and expand its construction services offering. As the construction projects are labor-intensive, the entrepreneur hinted that they mainly focus on construction, interior, and architectural design.

However, managing the firm was not as easy as it seemed, as there were challenges in cost control, he said.

The executive director shared how the firm’s partnership with Sands China began and how it has impacted the company in acquiring needed knowledge and support.

Masterpieces Design has been supplying marble to Sands Cotai Central for nearly a year, with assistance from the gaming operator along every step of the procurement process.

“I would like to thank Sands China because not only have I had the opportunity to work with Sands China but the procurement team explained to the firm how to do each procedure and each step,” said the executive director.

With the supportive feedback and assistance from the gaming operator, the entrepreneur firmly holds that Sands China has contributed to the overall growth of his company.

According to Ieng, as Sands China mandates particular requirements and standards in their procurement process, Masterpieces Design has sought to learn some of these operating procedures from the more established enterprise.

“We can learn from each opportunity because our company is too young for each [procurement] step,” the entrepreneur added.

The construction and design company is still facing challenges with the lack of human resources in its construction team.

“Professional construction labor in Macau is lacking and ageing; not many young guys would like to do this job. So, the only way is to import some labor from overseas or in China; so the cost will go down for the clients as well,” the entrepreneur explained.

Yet the executive director added that the government has always been supportive of local enterprises by easing and facilitating the terms of loans to such firms. This might include providing them access to interest-free loans of MOP600,000 for up to eight years.

With the continuous support of Sands China to local SMEs, Masterpieces Design is only one of the many companies who have benefited from the gaming operators’ programs for young entrepreneurs and micro-enterprises.

The gaming operator is offering more business opportunities to SMEs, micro-enterprises, young entrepreneurs, and “Made-in-Macao” enterprises, through its preferential treatment of local firms.

One of Masterpieces Design’s goal is to continually import more materials and to expand its construction services offering. As the construction projects are labor intensive, the entrepreneur hinted that they mainly focus on construction, interior, and architectural design.

Further, Ieng added that the Sands China Supplier Awards is inspiring local enterprises to pursue excellence in the services they provide, which enhances the company’s credibility.

“That’s a very good initiative and it’s a good encouragement for the suppliers,” she said.

“It shows the significance of Sands China on how they work with the suppliers, and also during the dinner or the event, any problems or any issues they can raise and also exchange thoughts,” he continued.

Just last month, the gaming operator conducted back-of-
house roadshows for local SME suppliers.

Held at Sands Macao, The Venetian Macao, Sands Cotai Central and The Parisian Macao, the roadshows, organized by two local enterprises, sold over MOP1.1 million in products to Sands China team members.

Since 2011, roadshows like these have been held regularly for Sands China team members, averaging one roadshow every three months. They benefit SMEs by giving them access to direct business opportunities with customers while giving Sands China’s nearly 30,000 team members a chance to enjoy discounted offers.

According to Sands China, the scheme demonstrates its commitment to supporting local enterprises as part of the company’s corporate social responsibility efforts.

It is part of Sands China’s supplier relationship management strategy, under which the gaming operator views its suppliers as its strategic partners.